Geospatial & location analytics · CARTO

CARTO

Cloud-native location intelligence platform that runs spatial analysis directly inside cloud data warehouses.

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CARTO's defining feature is running spatial SQL analysis and visualization directly on top of a cloud data warehouse -- Snowflake, Google BigQuery, Amazon Redshift or Databricks -- rather than moving data into a separate GIS engine, which suits analytics teams that already keep their data there. It provides a no-code builder for maps and dashboards, spatial SQL extensions, a catalog of third-party spatial datasets (Data Observatory), and REST APIs and SDKs for embedding maps in other applications. Pricing runs from a metered, no-commitment Pay-As-You-Go plan to committed annual Enterprise, Strategic and Custom tiers, with both SaaS and self-hosted deployment options for organizations with data residency requirements.

At a glance

Vendor CARTO
Pricing model Usage-based
Free tier No
Deployment Cloud, Self-hosted
Open source No
Best for Analytics teams wanting to run spatial analysis on data that already lives in a cloud warehouse.

Pricing

A metered Pay-As-You-Go plan bills monthly usage with no commitment; Enterprise, Strategic and Custom tiers require an annual quote.

Checked on the vendor's own page on September 21, 2026: no prices are published. Expect to be quoted.

Features

  • Spatial SQL analysis inside Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift and Databricks
  • No-code map and dashboard builder
  • Spatial data catalog (Data Observatory)
  • Location-based segmentation and site-selection tools
  • REST APIs and SDKs for embedding maps
  • Support for both SaaS and self-hosted deployment

Integrations

Profile last reviewed September 21, 2026

Head to head

Alternatives

Mapbox Developer mapping platform providing customizable maps, navigation and location APIs billed on a pay-as-you-go basis. Esri ArcGIS Industry-standard GIS platform spanning desktop, server and cloud products for mapping, spatial analysis and enterprise geodata. Felt Collaborative, browser-based mapping tool for teams to build, share and co-edit maps without GIS software.

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Terms to know

Data catalog A searchable inventory of an organization's data assets, with descriptions, ownership and usage attached. Data residency The requirement or practice of storing and processing data within a specific country or region's physical or legal boundaries. Data warehouse A centralized, structured database optimized for fast historical reporting rather than day-to-day transactions. Spatial analysis Analytical techniques that use the location, distance or arrangement of data to find patterns tabular data hides.

Related guides

How to choose a geospatial analytics tool Pick a location-intelligence tool by the question you're asking — desktop analysis, a shared map, an embedded feature, or warehouse SQL — not the demo map. How to start with geospatial analysis Coordinate systems, geocoding, spatial joins, and the map design choices that mislead — the fundamentals before you pick a GIS tool.